When Erin McNab was just a youngster she found a passion for gymnastics. Starting to tumble in the third grade, the Salem, Oregon native competed in meets all the way through eighth grade when she started riding horses.

“I love horses and I’ve always been competitive. I’ve always been the competitive type of person academically, as well as when I did gymnastics,” she explained. “Gymnastics competitions were always what I looked forward to most, so it only seemed natural when I changed sports to continue to compete. I love the feeling of going to a show and having the opportunity to demonstrate what I’ve been working hard for.”

While a student at West Salem High School, McNab was involved in the National Honor Society and Associated Student Body Leadership program. She joined the Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET), which allows high school students to compete in various equestrian events at school district and state levels, and her local 4-H club. She competed in both programs all four years of high school and added American Quarter Horse Association shows her senior year.

Back then McNab showed a horse called Docs Classic Dun. Inspired to take her showing to the next level she contacted a local trainer, John Hamer to see if he had a suitable Quarter Horse for sale. She eventually purchased Redwoods Tyler, from one of his clients and started taking lessons with Hamer and his daughter, Sarah Raschein.

In 2013, McNab graduated as class valedictorian and she is currently a junior at Oregon State University double majoring in Psychology and Nutrition with an option in Dietetics.

During her freshman year at OSU, McNab was a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team.

“It was a really great experience,” she said. “It gave me the opportunity to ride and show many different horses and travel to Findlay, Ohio to compete in the IHSA Semi-Finals.”

McNab still shows under the direction of Hamer and Raschein. She is currently leasing Unchipped (Uno) , a 2000 bay gelding by Zips Chocolate Chip out of Unbossed, from Raschein’s mother-in-law and competed in Amateur All-Around events.

At the 2014 Smartpak West Novice Championship Show, McNab and Uno were Bronze Champions in the Youth Hunter Under Saddle. They also placed fourth in Youth Performance Halter Geldings; fifth in Youth Showmanship, and seventh in Youth Horsemanship.

In 2015 the team moved up to the Amateur Division.

“We had a great year of showing,” McNab said. “We won the Level 1 Amateur High Point at the Silver Dollar Circuit in Las Vegas (as well as circuit champions in L1 Western Riding and Reserve Circuit Champions in L1 Showmanship); Level 1 Amateur High Point at the OQHA Summer Classic in Central Point, Oregon (as well as circuit champions in the L1 Western Riding and L1 Showmanship); Level 1 Amateur High Point at the WSQHA Northwest Emerald Show in Monroe, Washington (as well as circuit champions in the L1 Western Riding and combined L2/L3 Showmanship). We finished out the year at the 2015 SmartPak West Level 1 Championship Show taking home the Farnam All-Around Amateur title, as well as winning Horsemanship; we were also Reserve in Western Riding and Hunter Under Saddle, and we were fifth in Equitation.”

McNab will continue to show Uno this year in the Level 2 and 3 Amateur all-around classes – Horsemanship, Western Riding, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation and Showmanship.

“We are planning to show at the April OQHA shows in Eugene and most likely the May OQHA show in Central Point, as well as the Silver Dollar Circuit in Las Vegas, Sun N Surf in Del Mar, the WSQHA Trophy Circuit, the OQHA Summer Classic, and the WSQHA Northwest Emerald,” she said. “I am also working on getting qualified for the AQHA World Championship Show.”

It is likely that 2016 will be McNab’s last year of competition until after she finishes up her degree.

“I will be starting the Dietetics Program in the fall and need to be focusing on my studies and building opportunities and experiences that will help me in getting a Dietetic Internship (DI),”she explained. “It is a requirement to complete the DI before being able to sit for the exam to become a registered dietitian, which is my primary career goal. Later down the road, I will be looking to get a master’s in counseling, although this is subject to change. I specifically want to counsel patients with eating disorders, this is my ultimate goal.”